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Jump Ball: Memphis Is Pretty Good

If you haven’t been paying attention to college basketball so far this season then shame on you. It’s been pretty good. Or maybe I feel like that because my team is #3 in the country. Either way, this is the perfect time to start paying attention. You’re already tired of hearing the Super Bowl hype machine (aka Tom Brady’s booted/non booted foot), pitchers and catchers haven’t reported yet, and only a handful of you truly care about hockey. Besides, it’s never too early to start studying which teams will be upset in the first round (please not Duke again, please not Duke again, dear God please not Duke again). So here’s a recap to the weekend that was in college hoops.

First up Memphis. Yeah, I don’t think they have to worry about that first round upset thing.

Memphis beat Gonzaga on Saturday 73-81 in a game that wasn’t as close as the outcomes look. Memphis basically had their way with the Zags inside and out. Their foul shooting is just pathetic, but the way they score they almost don’t need it. Almost. And I fully expect them to be undefeated come tournament time. I doubt I’m the first or last person to say it, but Memphis will be 31-0 heading into the C-USA tournament (sorry Holly). Oh, and Calipari? Stop with this “America’s Team” stuff. It’s ridiculous.

What the hell happened to Vanderbilt this weekend? I know they were on the road, but damn. Maybe I’m wrong, but a Top 20 team shouldn’t be losing by 22 points. And be down 34-6 after 12 minutes of play. And have the leading scorer with only 13 points. Just…damn. Kudos Florida for making Vandy look extremely average.

Rutgers (Rutgers?) beat Pittsburgh 77-64. AT Pitt. A Pitt team that beat Duke in the Garden in December. What the hell? Rutgers had a 20-2 run in the second half. Rutgers. I don’t know what else to say about this game. I’m dumbfounded really.

I have a soft spot for Purdue basketball. When I was applying to colleges I got accepted into Purdue and had been set to go there (as in I had sent my money and everything) when at the last minute I couldn’t go. This isn’t a sad story or anything. But it made me happy to see Purdue get a good win against Wisconsin this past Saturday 56-60. And now their fourth in the league behind Indiana, Michigan State, and the aforementioned Badgers.

Baylor couldn’t follow up it’s five overtimes win over Texas A&M with a win against Oklahoma on Saturday. But they’re still third in the Big 12 and have a good 16-3 record. Baylor had a one point lead with 1:57 left, but Oklahoma scored the next two baskets for the win, 77-71.

I don’t know what to make of Washington State. I guess they’re good (haven’t seen a game-thanks Regional Fox Sports Net!), but they lost to Arizona last week and almost lost to Arizona State this weekend. So are they a Final Four contender or just a really really good team? I don’t know. Either way, they played good defense during Arizona State’s last two possessions to keep their 56-55 win. Oh, and ASU fans? Stop throwing stuff at the players. You’ll collectively get the reputation of being bad fans when just a few of you were actually doing the throwing. Just ask Maryland fans.

And speaking of Maryland, they lost to Duke Sunday 93-84. HA! Man, that felt good after last year. DeMarcus Nelson had 27 points to lead all scorers. Duke outscored Maryland 55-31 in the second half after trailing them by nine at the half. I actually thought this could have possibly been the game Duke tripped up on in the ACC before playing Carolina as Maryland only decides to play while against the Tobacco Road teams, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Kansas and Memphis both suck at free throws. What is it about top teams that can’t hit the wide-open freebies? (I say this as a Kansas fan who has watched my team choke away close games with bad free-throw shooting).

How is it already “almost tournament time”? I still feel like the season just started, like maybe there’s still time for Nebraska to get its collective shit together and play like the team my heart knows they can be.

*looks at calendar, which reads “almost February”*

Hot damn, it really is closer to the tournament than to the start of the season.